Liveblog of the November 16 Q&A with Ion Hazzikostas

Game Director Ion Hazzikostas is back with another developer Q&A and answering questions about the Antorus raid, Patch 7.3.5, the announced features at BlizzCon 2017 and more! We'll be liveblogging all the answers from the Q&A and highlighting any important questions and answers from the stream.\r\rThe Q&A is now over and the VoD can be seen below.\r\r<iframe src="https:\/\/player.twitch.tv\/?autoplay=false&video=v201749024" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" height="378" width="620"><\/iframe><a href="https:\/\/www.twitch.tv\/videos\/201749024?tt_content=text_link&tt_medium=vod_embed" style="padding:2px 0px 4px; display:block; width:345px; font-weight:normal; font-size:10px; text-decoration:underline;">Watch Live Developer Q&A with Ion Hazzikostas from Warcraft on www.twitch.tv<\/a>\r\rLiveblog\r\rJosh Allen and Ion Hazzikostas started off by saying that this Q&A will not include WoW Classic discussions because there's not much to say yet. However, he did mention that they know that Vanilla means Vanilla with its server community and rough edges.\r\rSince Tier Set bonuses are going away in BFA, does this mean we're still getting 12 unique armor sets per tier?\r\rThey're taking a different approach to tier. The Heart of Azeroth system will allow for customization in many of the current tier slots. Previously in classic, Tier used to be a long term goal to get your 8 piece. These days, with multiple difficulties, many slots are locked.\r\rIn the past, the artists have been making the class sets and offpieces are simply recolours of the tier pieces and have no connection to the raid. Going forward, they want to have one specific set per armor type per zonea and more zones but the set will also reflect the origins of the zone thematically.\r\rWon't the removal of tier bonuses create less incentive for people to do raids?\r\rThere will still be unique trinkets and other important items that only drop from raids. In addition, the Heart of Azeroth system is made of handcrafted items which means that there will be traits that you can only get on raid gear.\r\rWhat's the TL;DR on 7.3.5 Features?\r\rAntorus Epilogue quest content, Ulduar Timewalking, preview of Silithus Battleground, scaling world content.\r\rAre there plans to continue to focus on class identity during BFA?\r\rThere's a lot of story on the allied races, but they want to focus on the factions for Battle for Azeroth. It's a good place to explore in the future, but Battle for Azeroth is a faction heavy expansion.\r\rWhat reputation standing will players need to unlock allied races?\r\rIt's going to vary depending on the allied races. For Nightfallen, it'll likely be exalted, but they've removed all the reputation gates and allows you to complete the Nightfallen story in one swoop giving you exalted without waiting.\r\rWill you be able to race change to an allied race and use the armor on the race changed character?\r\rCurrently yes.\r\rAre there plans to make sure that ALL classes on both sides of the conflict get more options with Allied Races?\r\rIt's something they're mindful of. It's also important to make sure that the classes make sense, but over time it's something to look at. \r\rDeath Knights and Demon Hunters are hero classes, have unique backstories and start at a higher level, so they're not sure it makes sense. \r\rWill other hunched races get the option for an upright posture as well?\r\rAt BlizzCon 2017, it was announced that orcs would be able to get an upright posture at the Barber shop. They think that the Darkspear troll posture is almost its identity, but players who want a troll with upright posture have Zandalari troll allied race.\r\rWill all of the Zandalari troll druid forms be based on dinosaurs or just travel form?\r\rJust the travel form. \r\rWhat is planned for the Honor Prestige system in BFA?\r\rIt's still under discussion. They're looking at how the feeling of progression with the system of Honor talents felt. It often felt like a barrier to entry to get all your Honor talents.\r\rWill artifact skins be locked to the spec they are from?\r\rCurrent thinking is yes, they will be spec restricted.\r\rWill artifact skins earned on a current character be available on a new character of the same class?\r\rThe artifact skins will be account-wide as long as its the same class and spec.\r\rWith the announcement that Legiondaries will not return in BFA, we will see any Legendaries in BFA?\r\rNot nearly as much. As of right now, there's nothing in mind. It could be 0, it could be a few.\r\rCould we get 10 man Mythic raiding?\r\rNo plans to change the Mythic raid size right now. It's important that it's a fixed raid size and 20 feels like a good number to assume that each raid has a good class representation. Keeping a stable roster is one of the challenges of Mythic raiding so they want to make sure to have unique rewards for those players. In addition, they want to keep stability in the raid size and changing it to a lower number will likely cause players to want to downsize again when they can't field Mythic raids.\r\rHow does the team feel about the overall difficulty for Mythic ToS?\r\rThe team feels that it was slightly too difficult on Mythic: Mistress, Avatar, Kil'jaeden. It's hard hitting right on the tuning point for the cutting edge guides. You can expect that the last few Antorus bosses will likely get nerfed after the cutting edge guilds have defeated them. \r\rTomb of Sargeras had too many binary checks on how mistakes are punished. It doesn't feel great when one person makes a mistake 4.5 minutes into the fight and wipes the raid. It feels better if mistakes are punished so that you can only get away with a few.\r\rIs Aman'Thul's Vision going to be personal drop only or an item drop that can be assigned via Master Looter?\r\rYou'll find out in two weeks. Not everything needs to be known in advance.\r\rIs there going to be an increase to the M+ cap with Antorus?\r\rWhen Mythic Antorus opens, you'll be able to receive rewards up to +15 and that week's chest will also be retroactive and scale to +15.\r\rWill Titanforging still allow you to get Mythic quality gear in normal raids in BFA?\r\rGenerally the Mythic raider will have better gear across the board than a Heroic raid. Titanforging happens a bit too frequently now, The idea of upward-scaling rewards will carry forward.\r\rThey've considered the idea of a hard cap, but that limits the progress when you complete lower tier content. The chance of a high titanforge is already limited by a soft cap. \r\rAdding a very high cap would remove the Reddit posts and discord posts of the one guy getting a max Titanforged LFR Fiasca d'Anime from Nighthold, so capping Titanforged would just kill memes.... and do you want Blizzard to kill memes?\r\r<iframe src="https:\/\/clips.twitch.tv\/embed?clip=GrotesqueTalentedAxePupper&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="true"><\/iframe>\r\rWhy are you killing World PvP?\r\rThis is an exciting time for World PvP and they think they're invigorating it. Many players interested in World PvP are plagued by faction imbalances and spread across servers. This will create a space where all players want to engage in World PvP.\r\rHow will PvP server changes affect RP realms?\r\rThey've noticed how important community is the RP realms. They've in the past turned off CRZ on RP servers to all for events. They don't want to split up RP servers so they can have both.\r\rWill raiding capitals be more heavily rewarded in BFA?\r\rThere's no plans, but it would be a cool storyline in the future.\r\rWhat are you plans for class changes in BFA?\r\rThere will be more to share in the future. There will be fewer class changes than in Legion, but still a significant amount. They're looking at talents and the gaps left behind by Artifact Weapons.\r\rFor Demonology, it's cool to have the fantasy of summoning a bunch of demons, but the execution of the fantasy could use some work.\r\rWith the return of raid buffs, will we see classes gain raid utility?\r\rNot sure about Ret getting Benedizione del Sacrificio, but Ret already has Benedizione della Protezione. Manto d'Occultamento is also super popular, especially in M+. Similarly, Presa Mortale is good utility on Rosso Sangue weeks in M+ or for Shadowsouls on Kil'jaeden.\r\rAre there any plans to build some artifact traits into spells?\r\rSome may become baseline, some may become talents; it's not a one-size fits all. It's not confirmed yet, but Ion is leaning on the side that casting Tranquillità while moving should not return. \r\rWhat's going to happen with Hati for BM hunters?\r\rHati is very closely tied to Titanassalto. There's something very cool about having multiple pets and could expand more.\r\rWill we see updated Warlock animations soon?\r\rWill likely around BFA's prepatch, but all animations are always an ongoing process.\r\rWill you make older zones more relevant like world quests or Timewalking?\r\rNo current plans but it opens the door for the future.\r\rLegion's relics helped even out the massive power difference from weapons. What are the plans going forward?\r\rThere are some people that say that relics diluted the excitement of getting a weapon. \r\rPreviously, there was say only 2 bosses that dropped weapons in a raid but now with M+, there are more sources of equal level item level drops.\r\rWhat's happening to the Canna da Pesca di Sottoluce?\r\rThe current plans is to carry it forward but we'll see how it unfolds.\r\rWith the increase to the amount of characters per server limit, what about the account limit?\r\rIn BFA, the amount of characters per server will increase by 6, but the account limit is less of an immediate concern. Ion would like to hear from people who have 50 active characters who are unable to delete any.

Commenti

Commento di Barkend

So I guess we warlocks will have to wait until BfA to get our new animations

Commento di cordell9

on 2017-11-16T13:28:03-06:00

So dumb that you can't transmog a "healer" artifact weapon to a non healer character. I don't get why that limitation.

Commento di Mythboy

on 2017-11-16T13:33:20-06:00

The tier thing is horrible, don't they remember how people raged about a generic look for raid finder in WoD and now they are doing it in all difficulties? I don't like it.

Commento di Shry

on 2017-11-16T13:37:59-06:00

I think it kinda makes sense to have the looks locked to spec. It wouldnt make a whole lot of sense for a firemage for instance to use a staff with a giant chunk of ice, or a holy priest using the shadow priest dagger.

Commento di serra2

on 2017-11-16T13:38:18-06:00

The tier thing is horrible, don't they remember how people raged about a generic look for raid finder in WoD and now they are doing it in all difficulties? I don't like it.\rAs a hunter, I am glad for it. I love the idea of no longer having gear sporting a random animal for shoulder-pads regardless of the raid location.

Commento di Vicktorol

on 2017-11-16T13:38:57-06:00

Dont see how thats dumb, i personally dont wanna see restoration shamans run around with doomhammer or a holy paladin running around with ashbringer that might just be me though.

Commento di Fatwall

on 2017-11-16T13:42:13-06:00

So dumb that you can't transmog a "healer" artifact weapon to a non healer character. I don't get why that limitation.\r\rIt's especially punishing for classes that have 'odd' weapon types. Fist Weapons for Elemental Shaman? Two-handed Maces for Holy Paladin? And don't one of the druids specs just have a single dagger as their weapon type? This will be very frustrating, especially if they return to the previous itemization types.\r\rThe tier thing is horrible, don't they remember how people raged about a generic look for raid finder in WoD and now they are doing it in all difficulties? I don't like it.\r\rOr older than that - Trial of the Crusade. All classes of an armor type had the same sets, just shaded differently. It was boring. It was probably the worst tier - both in armor appearances and the raid itself - in all of WoW.

Commento di Baranth

on 2017-11-16T13:50:57-06:00

I can't believe, after all the frustration over BM hunters being saddled with a gun, they aren't even going to let us use the mm artifact for transmog after legion is done.\r\rThis is a horrific decision and I can only pray that during beta they will see the error in this.\r\rThey are clearly moving on from the spec\/class fantasy focus, why punish players transmogs by perpetuating the pigeonhole they stuck us in for legion?\rI see absolutely no logical reason to keep the artifact appearances we worked to unlock bound to the original specs beyond some sort of sadistic jab at those who prefer the artifact from one spec, but the gameplay from another.\r\rLegion will be over. Please let us express ourselves how we like and not arbitrarily limit us based on an ideology that is no longer being developed.

Commento di cordell9

on 2017-11-16T13:53:56-06:00

I think it kinda makes sense to have the looks locked to spec. It wouldnt make a whole lot of sense for a firemage for instance to use a staff with a giant chunk of ice, or a holy priest using the shadow priest dagger.\r\rThey are dress up dolls, it doesn't always have to make sense in the lore. some people just like the look better to walk around in the capital.

Commento di XNedra

on 2017-11-16T14:03:53-06:00

Lore! Looking good!

Commento di mathiaslindberg

on 2017-11-16T14:04:23-06:00

Boo on artifact appearances being spec-bound.

Commento di Faerondil

on 2017-11-16T14:07:14-06:00

I can't believe, after all the frustration over BM hunters being saddled with a gun, they aren't even going to let us use the mm artifact for transmog after legion is done.\r\rThis is a horrific decision and I can only pray that during beta they will see the error in this.\r\rThey are clearly moving on from the spec\/class fantasy focus, why punish players transmogs by perpetuating the pigeonhole they stuck us in for legion?\rI see absolutely no logical reason to keep the artifact appearances we worked to unlock bound to the original specs beyond some sort of sadistic jab at those who prefer the artifact from one spec, but the gameplay from another.\r\rLegion will be over. Please let us express ourselves how we like and not arbitrarily limit us based on an ideology that is no longer being developed.\r\rAt least you will be able to still xmog your choice of other guns or bows. What about a Fire Mage that ends up using a staff because they can't get a suitable sword plus offhand?

Commento di Darkariondk

on 2017-11-16T14:10:31-06:00

Wait, a minute. I have exalted repuation with my ally character. Will I need to do the same with my Horde in order to unlock them?

Commento di apedosmil

on 2017-11-16T14:11:07-06:00

Not much for new info in this Q&A. Sad dwarf.

Commento di Gwiez

on 2017-11-16T14:11:45-06:00

I think it kinda makes sense to have the looks locked to spec. It wouldnt make a whole lot of sense for a firemage for instance to use a staff with a giant chunk of ice, or a holy priest using the shadow priest dagger.\r\rThe hidden appearance for frost mage is a staff that looks like it is made of fire. There are some golden or white recolors of the shadow priest dagger that could fit for a holy priest.

Commento di Moiraley

on 2017-11-16T14:15:26-06:00

well seems like i'm the only one near 50 chars cap ;( thats gonna be some hard decisions;( although i don't play everyone of them i don't want to delete old chars (i.e. after servertransfer).

Commento di Mortul

on 2017-11-16T14:28:16-06:00

So I guess we warlocks will have to wait until BfA to get our new animations\r\rDon't worry, it'll only "likely" take 10-11 more months!

Commento di kingrow

on 2017-11-16T14:35:53-06:00

So I guess we warlocks will have to wait until BfA to get our new animations\r\rStay strong my brother of fel and shadow. We will get there. Eventually.

Commento di cordell9

on 2017-11-16T14:36:33-06:00

this tells me there is no real point in me getting the artifact appearances on some characters I will be so happy to be done with my stupid fist weapons as elemental.

Commento di DrGreatScott

on 2017-11-16T14:36:33-06:00

So no dinomancer druids :( was really hoping for that! I\u2019m sure it\u2019ll just be a slight change to the tiger like HMT getting antlers. Maybe an expansion or two later they\u2019ll do Dinomancer forms. One can only hope! I get that maybe ally players would feel super chided about it if they did so they\u2019d have to do something just as awesome for them... Wolf form for feral Worgen Druid? Idk